Forty Days and Forty Nights
by Scaramouche
Summary: *COMPLETE* Harper centered fic. Lots and lots of angst. Slight Tyr, Dylan, and Beka bashing. Original characters. Confusion Warning! for those of you that perfer something more predictable DON'T READ THIS.
1. Prologue

Disclamer: I do not own Andromeda or any of the character's mentioned in this tale. I do not make a profit from this work.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): This story was written out of pure contempt of the fan- fictions I had read on the web which had no applied insight into the characters personalities or the "frame" story of the show. If you do not enjoy this or find it untrue well. so what like I care. This is my version of things and if you don't like it than try to do better .So there. Ha.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~ **Forty Days and Forty Nights **  
  
All day long and all night through,  
  
One thing only must I do:  
  
Quench my pride and cool my blood,  
  
Lest I perish in the flood.  
  
- Urda Verdandi Skuld Cy: 3298  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Prologue:  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Harper stared at the nano-welder in his hand. What had he just been doing? He couldn't remember.  
  
"Harper," Andromeda's holograph popped up in front of him. "What exactly are you doing?"  
  
Harper laughed his innocent laugh and shrugged. "You know.I'm uh.uh. alright I have no idea, but I will figure it out."  
  
Andromeda raised her eyebrows as she turned off the hologram.  
  
Suddenly the ship gave a huge lurch and tools were scattered everywhere.  
  
"Hull breach on level eight, section seventeen." Andromeda's voice echoed through the ship.  
  
"Harper!" Dylan's voice came over the com.  
  
"I'm on it! I'm on it!"  
  
*View changes to show the bridge. Dylan is standing at the front. Beka is seated in the pilot's chair, apparently moving the ship about. Tyr and Trance are at their stations.*  
  
"Tyr, fire at the head ship!"  
  
"With pleasure."  
  
*Tyr fires two volleys. They hit the ship on the view screen, but break apart without causing any damage.*  
  
"Mr. Harper, I'd appreciate some weapons that actually have an affect on my enemies!"  
  
"I can only do one thing at a time."  
  
"And here I thought you were a genius."  
  
"Unless, of course, mister high and mighty would like to activate the war heads like a good little weapons expert should."  
  
"Boy, I do not have the patience for your tongue today."  
  
"Uh, hello, could you boys stop bickering and just kick their asses already?" Beka interjected.  
  
*Tyr turned back to his controls.*  
  
Harper's voice continues. "Aye, aye, Captain Valentine, proceeding to kick ass!" Beka's face looks expectant. "And, Boom! Yeah! Fire when ready!"  
  
Tyr fires another two volleys and the lead ship is blown apart. "Yes! Excellent work, Mr. Harper!"  
  
"Why thank you, Mr. Tyr, I aim to please."  
  
*The remaining ships turn and run, jumping into the slipstream*.  
  
"Harper, get to that breach." Dylan order's quickly. He then turns to Trance. "Did you get a reading of their Bio-signs?"  
  
"The scan indicates that no one was on board."  
  
*The scene changes back to Harper who is now surrounded by androids busy picking up pieces of scrap metal in front of the breach. He picks up a large piece of metal and stops.*  
  
"Uh.Dylan. I don't know what they hit us with, but it came with a hitch hiker."  
  
*Swings back to the bridge in the middle of this statement.*  
  
"Care to explain?" There is a lengthy pause. "Harper?"  
  
*The camera is focused on Harper's face. We see light reflected in his eyes getting brighter*  
  
"Harper?"  
  
*Andromeda's avatar is out of focus behind Harper's face*  
  
"It's so beautiful." Harper's voice is spacey.  
  
*Suddenly a bolt of light strikes out and the scene changes. We see the same as in the beginning: Harper staring at a nano-welder not knowing what he was doing.*  
  
"Harper?" Andromeda's hologram appears suddenly in front of him. "What exactly are you doing?"  
  
*This time Harper doesn't laugh.*  
  
"Oh, crap." 


	2. Discovery

Disclaimer: I do not own Andromeda. (No shit.) I do not make a profit from this work although I wish I did. Ha.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): This chapter sucks and I have no idea where the hell this story is going. (Maybe I should change the rating.) If this is not true to the characters in ANY way PLEASE TELL ME I'm trying to write something that I and others can view as a real episode. (Again, not literally, although that would be really cool. ^.^) right, anyways, onto the story.  
  
The Discovery:  
  
*View is on Dylan standing on the bridge.*  
  
"Trance, I think you should have a look at Harper." Andromeda's voice rang through the air.  
  
*Dylan turns and looks at Trance who doesn't look surprised.*  
  
"What's wrong with him now?" Dylan asked the hologram in front of him.  
  
"He's locked himself in Machine Shop 17." She looks up as if listening. "And now he's telling me we're about to be attacked." She paused and looked up again. "Dylan, a heavily armed ship just came out of slipstream." The image popped up on the view screen. "And their firing."  
  
The ship lurched again. "Hull breach-"  
  
*scene changes to Harper who interrupts on the com. Finishing Andromeda's sentence*  
  
"-level eight, section seventeen. No way, I'm not going and you can't make me."  
  
*Back to the bridge.*  
  
"Harper!"  
  
"It's alright Dylan. I'll do it." Trance speaks up from behind him. Dylan nods at her. Trance walked briskly off the bridge.  
  
*Trance is walking down the corridors while talking to Harper. The scene changes back and forth between their sentences.*  
  
"Harper, how did you know we were going to be attacked?"  
  
"Oh, I see, its okay for you to be all-*imitates Trance*- there are many possibilities. There may be a perfect one, but this probably isn't it."  
  
"Harper, I need to know."  
  
*Harper sighs and got up off the floor of the machine shop where he'd been sitting.*  
  
"Trance, don't touch any thing. I'm on my way."  
  
*Back to the bridge*  
  
"Dylan, Harper's on his way to the hull breach."  
  
"Good, Tyr return -"  
  
"- uh, boss, that's a good plan and all, but the warheads aren't active so if our oh, so helpful little Nietzschean could direct his attention to the little, red flashing light to his right and push the button directly beneath it." Harper interrupts on the com.  
  
"You are beginning to irritate me boy."  
  
"Glad to be of service!"  
  
*Tyr reaches down and presses the button then proceeds to fire on all the ships destroying all but one, which is crippled. Dylan quickly snapped out an order for Beka and Tyr to follow him to the Maru to go to the newly crippled ship while ordering Harper not to look at the object when he and Trance go retrieve it.*  
  
*The scene switches to Tyr walking on the deck of the crippled ship. His weapon is drawn, but apparently no one is there. Beka walks up behind him her weapon is down by her side. Tyr hears her walking up to him and turns quickly with his weapon leveled with her face.*  
  
"Well, aren't we jumpy? There's no one here, Tyr." She finishes her sentence just has a small bundle of energy (AN: Not literally) jumps onto Tyr's back trying to make him drop his weapon. Tyr throws "him" into the far wall rendering "him" unconscious. Beka walks up to the small.HUMAN! She turns back to Tyr and keeps her cool.*  
  
"It's Harper." She says simply.  
  
(AN: Imagine the commercial break. Also the quote in the prologue was originally said by Countee Cullen. The names Urda Verdandi Skuld were three Norns who guarded the roots of Yggdrasil and Urda's well in Norse mythology.) 


	3. That Thing You Do

Disclaimer: Uh.I don't really want to write a disclaimer. So there, now you don't know if I own Andromeda or not. I hope you're confused. (Group of lawyers from Tribune stand outside my window with arm loads full of lawsuits.) Fine! I don't own Andromeda!!! Are you happy now?!  
  
Author's Notes (AN): Hey, this is my first fan-fiction ever and I just wanted to say thanks to szhismine, Lauren, and Mercury's Winter for your reviews they really made my day. Like in Chapter two, I have no idea where this story is going or if I'll even finish it, but I hope I do. I don't intend for this to be another "future" Harper episode. (No offence Mercury's Winter. I liked your story lots.) I also don't want this to be a Harper/Trance story although I think they should be together on the show. (Also the chapter names have nothing to do with their content and if you want to name one of them for me just send a review. First come; first serve. (Yeah, right))  
  
Note to Obsessed Gordon/Harper Fans: Got to www.thinktom.com if you want to see a website that was completely created by Gordon Michael Woolvett (Harper, duh).  
  
Chapter Three: That thing you do  
  
*** (What a stupid name for a chapter. I mean really, it has nothing to do with what's going on in the story or any thing that's going to happen in the story. (I think.) Why in the hell do I bother to name the chapter if it isn't going to make any sense to the few people that actually want to read it?.....(crickets chirping in background).So! Anyway! (Cough) On with the story!)***  
  
*Dylan walked through the corridors of the injured ship. Loose wiring still hung from the ceilings giving off sparks here and there. Rommie follows closely behind.*  
  
"Dylan," Beka's voice on the com. "You should get to the command deck we have a slight situation."  
  
*Dylan glances at Rommie who shrugs they start to walk as the view changes to the command deck we see Tyr, looking very annoyed, pinned to the ground by this other Harper. Beka levels her gun with his head.*  
  
"Harper, get off of him."  
  
*Harper calms slightly when hearing Beka's voice. He turns to look at her and his face fills with shock.*  
  
"Aunt Rebecca?"  
  
*Beka mouth hits the floor in shock and she lowers her gun. Dylan and Rommie walk up behind her and finally get a good look at the person who looks exactly their engineer and friend. "Harper" stands up and Dylan and Rommie finally realize how young he looks. Tyr stands up and has a look of shock on his face as well. (AN: He just got pinned by a little kid! HAHAHAHAHAHA-ahem.)*  
  
Dylan almost ignores the boy as he turns back to Rommie. "How old is "this" Harper?"  
  
Her head tilts slightly. "Fourteen years."  
  
The boy is just standing there now. "My name ain't Harper!"  
  
"It speaks." Tyr of course.  
  
Beka is about to say something when Dylan steps up. The boy quickly flinches away, but then stops when he realizes Dylan is only talking with him.  
  
"What would you prefer?"  
  
"Well.how about my name?"  
  
Beka lets out a frustrated sigh. "Look, kid, either tell us your name or I'll-"  
  
"-you'll what? Kill me?" He spoke so suddenly that Beka didn't know what to say. His face holds no emotion now has he looks at her. "Be my guest."  
  
*The scene changes back to Harper and Trance. Harper has a flexi in his hand and is looking at it intently while Trance is just lying on the table next to him looking at the ceiling.*  
  
Harper looked up from the flexi in his hand (Which is relaying the data of the object that is being scanned in another room.) and looked at Trance.  
  
"Trance?"  
  
She sits up in one graceful move and looks back at him. "Just wondering when you'll be done."  
  
"Soon. Alright? Why don't you just go feed your plants or something until I'm done?"  
  
"Because if you get yourself hurt then Dylan and Beka will blame me."  
  
"Gee, thanks for caring."  
  
Trance just smiled as she laid back down on the table and softly began humming.  
  
Harper went back to looking at the flexi, but not really paying attention to it. He turns back to Trance. "Where did you learn that song?"  
  
Trance looks at him curiously. "I've heard you singing it before." She pauses, "Why? Does it bother you?"  
  
He turns back to the flexi, "No, I was just wonderin'." She went back to humming it.  
  
Harper tried to look at the readings on the scan, but they were blurred. All he could here was that song in his head. He had only sung it once on Andromeda that he could remember and that was because of a nightmare. Besides in the nightmare it hadn't been him singing it although when he woke up Andromeda had told him that he had been singing it out loud.  
  
He turned to speak to her again when he suddenly got very dizzy and collapsed at her feet. Trance jumped up and rushed to his side.  
  
"Harper! Harper, wake up!"  
  
He heard calling to him, but he couldn't wake up. Not yet. He had answers to find.  
  
(USELESS INFORMATION: Scaramouche is the name of a comedy entertainer during the 14th Century and also the stage name of a member of the comedy troupe The Tortuga Twins (www.TorugaTwins.com) who perform at the many renaissance and medieval faires all over the United States. He is also mentioned in the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.)  
  
(AN: I have a problem telling when "as" and "has" should be used properly so if it annoys you I'm greatly sorry.) 


	4. Moonshine

Disclaimer: You know it. Do I really have to say it? (Glares at Tribune lawyers still outside the window.) Alright! I don't own em'!!! geez.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): Man, I love you guys! You're so nice. I was so worried you guys would think it was stupid. ^.^  
  
Shaz- Thank you so much. Harpy's rule! This is after Trance becomes golden, just because I like her character better like that.  
  
Mercury's Winter- I just couldn't miss taking a shot at Tyr. Lol. Glad you liked it.  
  
Be All My Sins Remembered spoilers. Sorta'  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Four: Moonshine  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~ (Flashback Chapter)  
  
"Harper! Harper!"  
  
"Geez! Relax would ya'?"  
  
*Harper is in the Maru's engineering section. Alarms are shrieking and smoke is filling the room. Beka is the one yelling. Harper is a little ball of filth just like on the Be All My Sins Remembered flashback.*  
  
"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts. Deedily deedily. There they are a stand-"  
  
"-Harper, what the hell are you doing to my ship?!"  
  
*Suddenly the alarms stop the blaring. The smoke begins to clear. Harper waves his hand in front of his face and coughs. He jumps down and lands neatly beside her.*  
  
"Fixin' it, of course. That's what you hired me for ain't it?"  
  
*Beka glares down at him.*  
  
"What was wrong with it to begin with?"  
  
"It uh..um." He wilted under her stare. "Alright, I'm sorry. I was just trying to see if I could-"  
  
"-Harper I've told you a million times not to do your little, weird experiments on any of the ships system and to you this means going to the most vital part of the ship and blowing it up?!"  
  
"Hey! I didn't blow it up and besides it worked. You are now the proud owner of the newly invented Zelazny Ultima 4949 EXTREME Slip-stream Drive Version zero point oh. It gets better mileage than the ordinary one and can out run any of the filthy lowlifes the Divine happens to throw your way."  
  
"I heard that." Rev said, walking into the room. His sudden appearance makes Harper back up a step in fear before calming down. Both Beka and Rev, although noticing his fear, ignore this. "It is not the Divines fault that these individuals have chosen that particular way of life. Do not go blaming others for your mistakes either, Master Harper."  
  
"I, unlike other people, do not make mistakes, my Magog friend. I am a genious."  
  
*Beka turns to walk out of the room.* "Well, genious or not, you still have to fix my ship. So clean up the mess and come eat."  
  
*Harper gives her a smile, but it fades when he realizes that he is alone with Rev. He glances to Rev out of the corner of his eye. Rev noticed his apprehension and bowed slightly before stepping slowly out the door.*  
  
*************************************  
  
(AN: Alright, alright! I know it's horrendously short and meaningless, but right now I can't think of anything and I just love making ya'll wait. lol.) 


	5. Misery

Disclaimer: I don't own em'.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): Thank you to all my reviewers (especially the ones who are confused). I warned you all that I might not finish this fic. so don't get mad if I don't. It's one in the morning and all I've done so far is go online and give reviews to Mercury's Winter's new fics (hehehe). I feel like shit, but since I can't get to sleep I thought I should try and at least add to, or maybe even finish, this thing. So, why don't we get started? Shall we?  
  
Chapter 5: Misery  
  
"My name is Asher and I'm not the one that fired on your ship. I was being held here with a friend of mine. Would you help me find her?"  
  
Dylan almost looked shocked at the young man's blunt attitude, but composed himself readily and gestured for the boy to lead the way. They walked down the dark corridors of the ship.  
  
"Dylan, what makes you so sure you can trust him?" Rommie said from his side.  
  
"I don't. But how else are we going to find any answers? He doesn't appear to be a threat."  
  
Tyr grunted from behind him and Beka tried to suppress a smile at the image of a fully grown Nietzschean bested not only by young child, but a human one at that. (AN: I know I keep saying it, but it's just so darn funny.)  
  
They walked to the Resource Station near the rear of the ship and so far hadn't seen any sign that anyone on the ship (besides Asher) had survived the confrontation.  
  
"So, Asher, why were you and your friend being held here?" Rommie asked after several minutes of silence.  
  
"We're from Earth." He said it without any emotion and looked like he expected them to run back to their ship in disgust and leave him there.  
  
"Well then. You're in luck. We have a crew member on our ship that's from Earth. Maybe you know him, Seamus Harper." (AN: Dylan's an idiot.) Dylan said from behind the boy.  
  
Asher went slightly tense at the mention of "that" name. "I've heard of him."  
  
"Do you know hi-"  
  
"-Where are you from, Captain Hunt?" Dylan looked at Rommie who merely raised an eyebrow. He looked back at the boy.  
  
"Tarn Vedra." Asher made a rude sound and it was Dylan's turn to raise his eyebrows.  
  
"I may seem young to you, but you don't have to lie to me. I'm pretty sure I can handle knowing where you're from." The sarcasm didn't go unnoticed.  
  
"Actually, kid, he's telling the truth. You've never heard of Dylan Hunt? New Commonwealth? Nothing?"  
  
Asher stopped and looked at her. It made a shiver go down her spine. Harper had looked at her like that before and it always bothered-no, it terrified her. She could only imagine the things either of them had seen growing up on Earth and that scared her. Not knowing the pains of a member of her crew. Not knowing the pains of someone she cared a great deal for. This boy made her remember the things she had had to go through when Harper had first come to be a member of her crew. All those nights lying awake listening to him scream and sometimes cry until she couldn't handle it and went to sit with him. She looked away and at Rommie who she knew understood the fear. Andromeda had been there to witness Harper's more recent nightmares although they had been few and far between until the events during and after the world ship, when his nightmares had spiked to an all new high.  
  
Tyr had continued to walk and now came to an abrupt stop in front of them. "Ship, perhaps you should aid me so we may continue?"  
  
Rommie and Tyr shifted heavy pieces of metal from the corridor in front of them while Dylan continued to converse with the boy.  
  
"So, what's your friend's name?"  
  
Asher looked at him hesitantly and licked his lips. "Maegwin." Dylan had to lean in to hear him, he spoke so softly. "She's not really my friend, she's my sister."  
  
Dylan just nodded at him. "Dylan! There's someone in the room beyond." Rommie said, nodding down the blocked corridor. "We can't clear the way though."  
  
"Is there a way around?' Beka asked. Rommie tilted her head slightly and then walked through the wall beside them.  
  
They just stood there staring at the wall where she had disappeared. "Alright, what the hell just happened?" Beka asked  
  
"How'd she do that?" Asher asked Beka.  
  
"I just asked that, kid." Beka said back.  
  
Dylan ignored them and activated the com link on his collar. "Rommie where are you?"  
  
"This wall appears to be a holographic projection." She said walking back through the wall as if to prove her point.  
  
"Why would they want to have a holographic wall?"-Beka  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Dylan turned to Tyr. "They were attempting to hide something."  
  
"That would be a logical assumption."-Rommie.  
  
"Okay, through the wall we go."  
  
(AN: Uh..stuff.) 


	6. The Circle Closes

Disclaimer: You know what?! I'm GLAD I don't own Andromeda and I'm SO pissed off!!! They showed some STUPID football game instead of the season three premiere!!! So now I have to go to some stupid site and read some IDIOT'S half assed review just to know what the F*** happens to Beka and Tyr!!!..............Alright I'm done.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): Thanks Merc'. Thanks Shaz (hope you received my e- mail). Thanks "Anonymous ". And that's about it, the rest of you just SUCK because you didn't write me a review. ^.^  
  
Hint: This is after Rev has left (end of second season) and after golden Trance arrives and after the Magog eggs are removed and all that shit. So yeah hope that answers any questions or you know not...whatever.  
  
~~~~~~*~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 6: The Circle Closes  
  
~~~~~~*~~~~~~  
  
(AN: Yay! Another "flashback". Don't worry, Merc', Chappy four will make sense..eventually.)  
  
"Harper, I mean you no harm and do not wish to intrude on your personal and familial space. I will leave if you wish for me to."  
  
"Well, guess what, you hairy little pile of puke, I want you to!"  
  
*Rev. looked him over seeing he was serious he turned and walked out of the kitchen. (AN: Did you ever notice that on all these stories when it's before the Andromeda they're always in the kitchen? {{Larhana: Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah. Someone's in the kitchen with DINAH!!!!!}} Uh..yeah. Anyway, it's like there's no where else on the ship for them to be.. Huh.)*  
  
*Harper turned back to the panel that he'd been working on. He fiddled around with it for a minute before finally sighing and giving up. He put away his tools and went to find Rev.*  
  
"Look, Rev, it ain't my place to say whether you stay or not."  
  
*Rev looked up from his book.*  
  
"Is this a way of saying you would like for me to stay? Or that you simply do not wish to make the decision for me to leave?"  
  
[[("If you know what's good for ya', ya' little piece of shit." "I know. I won't tell anyone I swear.")]]  
  
"Harper, are you all right?"  
  
*Harper is on the ground and Rev (not wanting to stand to close) is kneeling down about a foot from him.*  
  
"This isn't right."  
  
*Rev looks at him confused.* "What isn't right?"  
  
*Harper stands to his feet as does Rev beside him. He turns and looks at Rev.* "This. This never happened. Why am I here? What are you and what the hell have you done withe them?!"  
  
*Rev backs up a step.* "Withe who, Master Harper? There is no one here withe us except Beka. She's in the cock pit. We are on our way to Caxlerna Drift for supplies."  
  
*He says all of this slowly as if Harper is and idiot. Harper appears fustrated and is about to scream his response when he suddenly acknowledges what Rev has just said.*  
  
"Caxlerna Drift was destroyed by the Kalderans." He pauses then suddenly pulls his gun and presses it to Rev's head. "What the Hell is going on?"  
  
"Master Harper, I assure you that I am speaking the truth."  
  
*Suddenly the scene changes Harper looks the same and still has his gun held up only now Beka is in front of him looking at him like he's nuts.*  
  
"Harper, I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean to touch you." (AN: Perverts!)  
  
*Harper lowers the gun and looks around. He's on the Maru still but is now in Engineering. His clothes are the only thing different.*  
  
"Oh, no, this ain't happening. What the hell?" (AN: He keeps saying that. It's beginning to annoy me.)  
  
*Beka looks confused.* (AN: What a surprise. Dammit, now I have to add Beka to my "bashing list")  
  
(AN: okay I'm going to end this here. Not very well worded ending, but good when pictured. That'll work.) 


	7. Pain

Disclaimer: See previous for Andromeda disclaimer. I don't own the song 'One by One'. Chumbawamba does.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): I don't have any. Although the story is a little more serious in this chapter and the next.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 7: Pain  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Acid rain fell from the heavens coating him. He had been here before. This was a real memory, not like the others. Why were some real and others not? He wished he was home not here again; having to survive again. It felt like the flashes had begun years ago. He had all but kept his sanity trying to deal with his memories and..whatever these others were.  
  
He walked down the filth ridden streets. He saw a woman sitting on the curb beside him cradling a dead baby.  
  
"Hush little baby don't say a word."  
  
He couldn't handle it again. Not again.  
  
He ran as hard and as fast as he could. Why was this happening to him?  
  
**************  
  
"Trance his brain waves have spiked again. He's beginning to become restless."  
  
Trance stood beside the unconscious form of her friend scanning him again and again. "Andromeda, I still don't know what's causing this. I-I don't know what to do."  
  
"Trance, you've been very strange to my since you first became part of this crew and I know you have some kind of powers..Are you sure you can't help him? I do know how to keep a secret."  
  
Trance completely ignored her and went to the tray beside the bed to get a different scanner. "Wait! Andromeda put his brain waves on the view."  
  
Trance looked down at the consul and slowly began to grin like an idiot. "Got it."  
  
"Contacting Dylan."  
  
***********  
  
"There once was a man from Nantucket. Who liked to spit his tabbacci in a bucket. He lived with his wife. What a terrible life, but soon gave up and said fu-"  
  
"-Maegwin, what did I tell you about that song?"  
  
Maegwin whirled around and saw her brother standing beside-who was he standing beside? But she didn't truly care as long as Asher was there she would be safe. She ran up to him and enveloped him in a hug.  
  
"I thought you were..well ..you know."  
  
Rommie quickly began scanning her for injuries, but after finding none they began their trek back to the Maru.  
  
They were passing through the corridor leading to the hatchway when Dylan's com beeped. "Hunt."  
  
"Dylan, something strange has happened to Harper. He's in some form of stasis and has been for about twenty minutes. Trance thinks she can devise a way to get him back."  
  
Dylan looked back at Beka who looked a little worried. "We're on our way. Set up two crews' quarters. We're going to have some visitors for awhile. Hunt out."  
  
***********  
  
"Pontius Pilate came to our town  
  
Up to the dockyards to see the picket line  
  
We asked him to help but he just turned around  
  
He's the leader of the Union now  
  
Leader of the Union  
  
All of our questions he ignored  
  
He washed his hands and he dreamt of his reward  
  
A seat in the House of Lords."  
  
The singing continued through the cold night and reached mournful ears. No one was crying. They were either beyond caring or simply thought it was a bad idea to waste vital fluids like water. Harper stood alone. Apart from the rest. He remembered this all to well. Has much as he wished he didn't. But that didn't matter as the fires burned. The smell of burning flesh; the site of a loved one as the skin peeled back from their bones from the heat of the flames bubbling and dripping onto the other bodies. His cousins among them. He remembered this all to well for he was the one to cause it. Their bodies burned because of him. And now he was alone forever. 


	8. The Suffering Soul

Disclaimer: See previous.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): Yay! You're all confused. That makes me very happy at least I'm not predictable. I just got my hair cut so now maybe my thoughts will flow freely from my brain....yeah right anyway. You all asked for it (or at least most of you did) so here it is. The clearing up of the confusion begins....that made no sense. Oh well here it goes anyway. (And no this isn't the whole story I'm just sick of you all saying that you don't understand. So this is just to make you all shut up.)  
  
Confucius Say: Porta-potty should not be used as bomb shelter.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 8: The Suffering Soul  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Asher stood on the deck of the Maru just behind his sister and this Captain Hunt. (AN: Gotta' say it like your hacking up a loogie.) He couldn't believe this, free room and board and no work. It was like a dream. He looked out the view screen as the Andromeda appeared.  
  
{"I have given life and form to the first time traveling fruit in all the universe!!!"}  
  
He gasped and doubled over, clutching his head in pain.  
  
"Asher?! Asher what's wrong?!" Maegwin went to her brother's side as did Beka.  
  
Beka ran a scan over him as the pain slowly subsided to a dull ache.  
  
"I don't know. I..I think I had a vision..or something anyway."  
  
"A vision? What kind of vision?" Maegwin asked staring at her brother withe untamed curiosity.  
  
*Asher is standing rigidly on the Maru's deck. He turned to look at his sister who doesn't seem like his sister anymore she's like..an illusion. He collapsed to the floor.*  
  
*****************************************  
  
"Seamus!!!"  
  
*Asher whipped around. The scream was to high pitched, to frantic. It sounded like someone was tearing their throat out to do it. He began walking down the street towards the sound.*  
  
"Seamus please help me!!! Seamus please don't leave me!!!"  
  
*He began running towards the screams. 'What the hell are you doing? Don't go towards the danger you idiot!' He ignored the voice in his head and kept running. He reached the end of the street..and then wished he hadn't.*  
  
*****************************************  
  
"The device is putting out a Pruignert Wave."  
  
Dylan, Tyr, and Beka turned and looked at Trance. "What?" Dylan asked.  
  
"A Pruignert Wave. It was named after a famous, or rather infamous, Perseid. He used them to torture, well anyone really, he was mad."  
  
"I thought Perseids were friendly to everyone."-Beka  
  
"Well this one obviously wasn't. A Pruignert wave is used to directly converse withe someone's subconscious. Their thoughts and dreams and nightmares can all be altered by whoever controls the waves. It's very hard to actually have complete control over someones entire subconscious even for a short period of time. Someone has gone to great lengths to do this to Harper."  
  
"Wait, if it's used to control our dreams then why isn't it controlling ours as well as Harper's?"-Beka  
  
"Maybe whoever's controlling him only wanted to control him and made the device able to only interact withe him or maybe they simply weren't able to control all of us at once."  
  
"Okay, so now the question is: who would want for Harper to go through this?"-Dylan  
  
"Maybe our little friend has more to him that he would like us to believe."- Tyr  
  
*Asher is a few beds away from Harper's, which they are all standing around, Maegwin is sitting beside his bed.*  
  
Beka looked over at Asher's bed sadly. "I don't think he's a bad kid. I think he just got caught up in this somehow." She turned to Dylan. "But I'd still like to know why he called me 'Aunt'."  
  
**************************************  
  
Confucius also say: Never wear sandals while walking through cow dung. 


	9. Snap

Disclaimer: see previous  
  
Author's Notes (AN): You people still keep saying you don't get it! What the hell is wrong with you?! At least my more loyal reviewers get it. (Mercury's Winter, Shaz, and Aimless-Well Aimless isn't really loyal but at least she FINALLY wrote me a review. ^.^)  
  
*In Beavis and Butthead voice*ALL OF YOU MUST WRITE ME REVIEWS!!! I ORDER YOU TO WRITE ME MORE REVIEWS!!!  
  
*Now singing* The author's gone insane, the author's gone insane. High-ho the cherrio the author's gone insane. *blinks*  
  
And now for all of those people that read the story and didn't like and didn't have the balls to flame me or if you're STILL confused or if you read it, liked it, and DIDN'T review... ATTACK!! ::An army of aardvarks fly out from out of nowhere and attack all previously mentioned sickafants:: MAY THE FLEAS OF A THOUSAND CAMELS INFEST YOUR CROTCH!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Nine: Snap  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
'So much blood.' He'd never realized that someone could have that much blood in them let alone pouring out of them.  
  
"Get a blanket! Marlin, come lift him up. We'll take him to Doc. Sampson's place."  
  
Everything was fuzzy. Hazy. He felt cold like he'd never felt before and believe you me he'd been cold enough before to know this wasn't normal. It wasn't even snowing. The cold felt like it was seeping into his heart. It ached, but pain is normal, pain is life.  
  
[{"My pain belongs to the Divine. It is like air. It is like water."}]  
  
[{"There may be one perfect possible future, but I can't see it."}]  
  
[{*the whip was so loud* "You will never be free of me, Seamus. You. Are. Mine." *a hand ran down the boys chest and the man in front of him smiled.*}]  
  
*View suddenly changes and we see Dylan and Beka holding down Harper while Tyr is holding down Asher they're both thrashing and screaming and are obviously in pain. Maegwin is standing to the side quietly crying while Trance is trying to administer a sedative to them. She finally manages to get it into both of them. And Dylan, Beka, and Tyr release them.*  
  
Trance turned to look at Dylan, "We can't just keep sedating them, their bodies can't take it. We need to find who's responsible and stop them as soon as possible."  
  
Dylan looked over at Harper's still form. "We have nothing to go on, Trance." He looked back at her. "How do I find something if I don't know what I'm looking for?"  
  
*In the background we see Maegwin slowly back out of the room. Tyr notices out of the corner of his eye and walks after her silently. Maegwin is now walking down a corridor by herself or so it seems.*  
  
*She is just turning a corner when she ran straight into the 'big, ugly Uber'. She fought against him but he just picked her up and carried her back to the infirmary over his shoulder she kicked and screamed the whole way.*  
  
*****************  
  
READ THIS!!! IMPORTANT!!!! I was going to incorporate a character from Maddie's A Rooted Sorrow but I need you people to tell me if I should or not. I can create my own character or use one "ready made". You decide. 


	10. Enter the Nymphomaniac

Disclaimer: SEE PREVIOUS!!!!!!  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE!!! I've decided, after much debate, to use Ramos DeGarres from Maddie's "A Rooted Sorrow". I love her story very, very much and you should all read it if you want to get a good feel for the character. This will be slight AU to her story has I don't want to interfere with any sequels and/or prequels Maddie plans to write. )Meaning it will be slightly different from her style of writing of course because she isn't the one writing it, but I promise to remain respectful and give her FULL credit in saying that this story would obviously be very different without her profound influence.) And as always I'll try to stay true to the characters as much as possible.  
  
Now what do we say kids?  
  
THANKS MADDIE!!!  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews. OH! And guess what everyone? I actually did my homework for once. *crowd cheers in background* I know, I know. Aren't you all so proud? *Rolls eyes* It's official: I have no life.  
  
"Outside a dog reading is man's best friend and inside a dog it's to dark to read."  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Ten: Enter the Nymphomaniac  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
*An unknown room. It's empty except for a metal chair in the center and a desk with a computer screen reading the following.*  
  
"Imput at 56% processing command: file: #75941 code: H stability at 78% and falling interference at 254% and climbing ERROR ERROR unknown interference in effect introducing counter options: enter disconnect command: ------- Please enter command to sever project 75941 H ------------ please enter command please enter commandplease enter command-"  
  
*There is one window in which we see varying hover crafts zooming by. The view is out the window slowly panning around we see the computer screen up close and then a metal door that looks like a vault door it's so thick. It's cracked open with blood smeared down it like a bloody hand. There are scratches down it as well like someone trying to get out.*  
  
*Suddenly the door is slammed open and two large, very large, humans come in carrying a small scrawny man in a lab trench coat. They force him to sit in the chair in front of the screen. He looks at it then up at the men in horror.*  
  
"No one's been able to accomplish this before and you expect me to succeed?"  
  
*One of the men took out a wickedly curved knife and slowly cut a small triangle in the tech guy's arm watching him wince in pain until the other, slightly smaller man took him to stop.*  
  
*The second man (the one that told the other one to stop) leaned in very close to his ear and spoke one simple word.*  
  
"No" 


	11. Mmmmmmmmmm cheesecake

Disclaimer: I own Andromeda. I own Harper. I own Ramos DeGarres. If you believe me you're a friggin loony.  
  
Author's Notes (AN): HEY! I'm back and I'm coming back with a bang. (see WARNING) To those of you that are confused by the last chapter *sighs and shakes head sadly* it's not that he wanted him to not succeed. I mean, really, how would that make sense? (Since or sense?) if you go and get the guy to work for you, you obviously want him to complete the job. He only said 'No' because it would be fun for him if the guy failed-aka-torture, rape, death, and whatever else he'd like to do to the guy. That is all.  
  
Aimless: HA HA!!! Very funny. (you little-) You scared the shit out of me.  
  
Shaz: lol Really? In English? That's quite amusing, thank you my "long lost friend". lol  
  
Mercury's Winter: It will all fit in I promise. And if it doesn't, it'll be like a puzzle, we can cram the pieces in and pretend it does. Lol  
  
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING: MADDIE, Lila, Bob, Claire, lauriena, Rain, Lady of Lorien, and all my Anonymous reviewers and all of the above mentioned as well.   
  
WARNING: Heavy, heavy angst in this here chapter. Either be prepared or get the hell out now. No flames; I warned ya'. Also, this chapter is incredibly short. Sorry.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN: mmmmmmmmm Cheesecake (wait, I don't even like cheesecake. Oooo except the kind with the chocolate swirls that's pretty good.)  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
*DeGarres sat on his ship, the Dark Sister, slowly swirling a class of bourbon in his right hand while holding up a flexi with the other.*  
  
He sits there for a few moments just looking at it when I man, a crony, came into the room behind him. "Sir, Jamison has reported with a location of the Andromeda."  
  
*The man is behind him. He isn't facing him.* He looked up from the flexi in his hand as a smile crept across his face.  
  
********  
  
I've done a lot.  
  
God knows I've tried,  
  
To find the truth,  
  
I've even lied  
  
And all I know  
  
Is down inside  
  
I'm Bleeding.  
  
********  
  
*Asher looked at the horror before him. It was like a vision of hell. Neitzscheans stood around watching as the one raped the woman on the ground repeatedly. He cut her skin with his bone blades and appeared to be totally aroused by the blood produced. A little girl was being held by one of the spectators to 'wait her turn' and had large tears coursing down her face.*  
  
"Seamus run please!" the woman on the ground screamed the words repeatedly.  
  
*Asher looked around and saw the small boy and was shocked at the similar appearance between him and himself. The boy was being held as well by the Ubers, but he was not crying. In fact he looked seriously pissed and kept fighting against the Uber holding him.*  
  
"Don't worry about your darling little boy. He'll get his turn." The one holding the boy told the woman. She just screamed louder.  
  
*The man raping the woman finished and stood up he looked towards the boy and smiled. He grabbed his arm and threw down on the ground. Asher closed his eyes quickly but he couldn't block out the little boys screams.*  
  
********  
  
And super heroes  
  
Come to feast  
  
To taste the flesh  
  
Not yet deceased  
  
And all I know  
  
Is still the beast  
  
Is Feeding.  
  
*******  
  
Beka sat down in the chair next to Harper's bed silently brushing back blonde hair from closed blue eyes. ~How can one person endure so much pain?~ Sure they had all had pain in their lives. Not one of them had had it easy, but this just seemed like too much for any one person. "We'll have to take care of him. We should have been already." She turned her head to the side and watched him sleep. ~Earth~ she thought~such a beautiful name really. Simple and elegant.~ "And that's why Earth is hell."  
  
*******  
  
And crawling  
  
On the planets face  
  
Some insects  
  
Called the human race  
  
Lost in time  
  
And lost in space  
  
And Meaning.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
I do not own the song "Super Heroes"; Richard O'Brien does.  
  
Please review, even if you don't read. =) 


	12. All the world I see before me passing me...

Disclaimer: Don't own  
  
Author's Notes (AN): ~..~ = Thoughts. Thanks Aimless. I own the poem 'Open Wound'. If you copy it and I find out I will hunt you down and stab you in the face with a soldering iron. (O.O)WARNING: Angst. Implied male rape.Thanks for the reviews  
  
.~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Twelve: All the world I see before me passing me by.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
~Run....duck....hide....shh! They can't hear you....they can't see you in the dark....must stay in the dark.~  
  
The boy ran for his life, away from pursuing footsteps. His lungs ached with the need for rest and air, but he couldn't stop. No, they'd get him and then it would be all over. He'd be in pain again. No!  
  
~Hide behind the trash cans....they won't see you, you'll be safe.~  
  
The boy had bolted into a nearby alley, diving behind the tall trashcans. The stink and filth on the ground mattered very little to the trembling boy. Why was this happening to him now? When would they stop tormenting him?  
  
"Come on you little brat! We saw you run here! Come out and take it. You're just making it worse on yourself."  
  
~No..can't come out. Don't let them touch you again, it hurt too much last time. Don't let their hands touch you....please don't let them touch you..~  
  
"GET OUT HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT! "  
  
"Hey, he's behind the trashcans."  
  
No!  
  
********  
  
"Dylan, where exactly are we going?" Dylan stepped down from his station on Command and turned to face Beka who stood beside the pilot's chair.  
  
"I am going to go have a little talk with Maegwin and see if she actually knows anything and you are going to try and find the Dark Sister."  
  
Beka raised her eyebrows. "So you think DeGarres is doing this to Harper?"  
  
Dylan rubbed the bridge of his nose, he obviously had a headache. He shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly don't know. Did Harper have an owner on earth? Maybe Maegwin and Asher are DeGarres's and that's how he got to Harper..or..or I don't know." Dylan looked around Command with a frustrated glare.  
  
"What exactly do you want me to do?"  
  
"Rommie should have the Dark Sister's signal. Start a trace and just go."  
  
Beka looked at him for a second. She shook her head. Not really saying no to him just at the whole situation. "Why did he call me aunt, Dylan? Something just isn't right here."  
  
"You're right" They bothe turned to look at Trance who had just walked in. She looked to the bothe. "Nothing here is right."  
  
"What?"  
  
Trance ignored Beka and looked at Dylan. She just kept looking at him. Beka looked back and forth between them she had the feeling she was missing something.  
  
********  
  
Don't want to stay  
  
Wish I were dead.  
  
It won't go away,  
  
This pain in my head.  
  
You think you've felt pain?  
  
Haven't felt nothing yet  
  
Till you live this life of fear  
  
Sleeping in cold sweat.  
  
Itching Itching Itching  
  
Oh, won't you please stop bitching.  
  
Keep stitching Stitching Stitching-  
  
-Up the void in my life  
  
And I'm left empty inside  
  
Wanting to cry  
  
Wishing I could just die.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Please review. 


	13. Ha ha That's so not funny

~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Thirteen: Ha ha. That's so not funny.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
*Maegwin sat in her cell. She no longer looked innocent. Trance was standing inside her cell as well. While Dylan stood just outside it. He had known that this girl was accountable for some damage, but he'd never imagined this.*  
  
********  
  
*Harper and Asher were bothe in the same dream. In fact they could look at each other and occasionally talk to each other.*  
  
* We see them bothe walking down a dirty street. Asher keeps glaring at Harper.*  
  
Harper finally cracked. "What the hell are you staring at?" Now, we all know Harper would never be THAT rude to someone. There are different standards to his rudeness and it always has some kind of purpose right?  
  
Asher just ignored him and turned around to walk the other way.  
  
Harper sighed and turned to follow to try and talk to the boy again when suddenly a woman was dragged out into the street and thrown harshly on the ground. (AN: not rape)  
  
"Where is he?" This particular Nietzschean appeared to be about, oh, let's say TWENTY freakin' feat tall. This guy was huge.  
  
Asher stopped and just watched. Behind him Harper took a few more steps before also halting.  
  
"Oh God, no." He whispered. Asher heard and turned his head slightly, but did not look at him  
  
. The woman was sobbing hysterically and couldn't talk right. She stumbled over her half sentences, but was cut short by a man coming up from the other end of the street.  
  
"You'll never get him. I won't let you take my son or my wife." Asher looked the man over and saw that he looked very much like Harper. ~I see. ~  
  
This time he did turn around to look at Harper. Harper wasn't looking at him; he wasn't even looking at the scene before them he looked to the side of the street and saw what he was looking for. The little boy was crouched behide a small shack. Asher turned away from Harper and then caught sight of the boy as well. It was the same boy that he'd seen before being held by the Ubers right before..  
  
~Why is this happening? ~ It seemed like he'd asked that question over a million times before to himself. He'd been here so long.  
  
********  
  
"Why did you do this, Maegwin?"  
  
Maegwin raised her eyebrows. "You truly don't understand? Why? You've seen others do far worse."  
  
"So you were bored?"  
  
Maegwin sighed. She looked at the wall and thought of here response. "Not truly bored. I just had nothing better to do."  
  
"There's a difference?" Dylan asked.  
  
Neither of them answered. They just continued to look at each other.  
  
"So how did you go about it?"  
  
"I took you and Harper's made Asher took this form went to Earth found a couple willing and told them what our "father" had done. How your dear little Seamus just abandoned my brother and I for his own good."  
  
Trance looked at her for a minute. "And why is Asher remembering? Did you do that too?"  
  
"No, I'd never hurt him. I've come to think of him as my, shall we say, pet." Trance looked slightly disgusted. "I would guess that, that whatever you called it, Preg Newt? I would guess that is the cause for his suffering."  
  
Trance looked thoughtful for a minute. "You know instead of causing pain to rid your boredom you could try to help people."  
  
"That gets so old."  
  
"So does hurting them."  
  
Maegwin looked at her through slightly narrowed eyes. "You speak from experience." It wasn't a question. She looked at her a little longer before dropping it seeing that Trance wasn't going to say anything with Dylan in the room. "What would you suggest?"  
  
"Join us. Join the New Commonwealth and help us. I promise you'll never be bored."  
  
Maegwin looked at the ground and thought about it for a few minutes. See finally looked back up with hard eyes. "Do you promise?" She sounded so hopeful, so sad and lonely. She spoke very softly. "I get so very tired, Trance."  
  
Trance knelt down in front of her. "I know. And I promise."  
  
Dylan cleared his throat behind them. "Don't I get a say in this."  
  
Trance stood up beside Maegwin and they bothe just looked at him expectantly. "Um well." He stepped forward and held out his hand. "Welcome aboard the Andromeda Ascendant."  
  
Maegwin shook his hand. Dylan turned around and walked out shaking his head and muttering to himself. Maegwin looked at Trance. "Now what?"  
  
"Now we help Harper and Asher and after were done doing that you get to explain to him why his whole life is a lie and that his sister is not really his sister."  
  
********  
  
Please review. 


	14. Inori

I've just been re-reading Raven's 'The Diaries' and I looked up at my wall and it was bright red....It still is.....it's cool.  
  
Disclaimer: Uh...yeah....that..........^.^  
  
Author's Notes (AN): Thanks for the reviews. I'm trying my best to explain and put things together for ya'll so please put up with it for just a little longer seeing as how I think I'm just about finished and I'm the authoress so you have to deal with it anyway. HA! Sorry for being so late with the updates. I have no reason or excuse except for my laziness. *.*  
  
Oh! And by the by, when I finished this chapter I had a long debate with myself about whether to post it or not and after much consideration I've decided to do so any way and just say 'screw you' to any one who is offended by it. I shocked myself by writing it, but then I thought well I could have kept going and I could have added in a few more people to make it really interesting but.sorry I forgot where I was going with this.again. Oh hell with it.  
  
WARNING: Hints of.stuff. Read at your own risk and don't come crying to me about it. ^.^  
  
"The war has been fought and won. Now if only we could win that battle." - Me.I think. o.O  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Inori  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
"And here we are." DeGarres stood on the bridge of the Dark Sister.  
  
*He's leaning over looking at a display. The camera swings around him slowly and stops to focus on the screen and his face at an angle. On the screen we see a blue beeping dot moving towards a red blinking dot. He gently stroked the screen before closing his eyes and breathing deeply. He smiles with his eyes still shut as his hand runs down his chest to his black pants. He unbuttons the top button and begins to lower the zipper while sighing softly to himself.*  
  
"Sir," He jerked his head back up to look at his navigations officer. "We're almost within range."  
  
His smile widened. "Good."  
  
********  
  
"Beka, I've located the Dark Sister."  
  
Beka looked up from the flexi she'd been reading. She jumped up and ran to the pilot's chair. "Lay in a course. Dylan?"  
  
*View changes and we see Dylan standing in the med deck beside Harper's bed. He looks up slightly.*  
  
"Yes Beka,"  
  
"We have a position on the Dark Sister and the course is laid in"  
  
"Go ahead. Tyr?"  
  
"You rang."  
  
Dylan looked down at Harper with a cold look. "We're going hunting."  
  
(AN: Sorry for that. I don't have a feel for Dylan right now and am writing him terribly. I apologize.)  
  
********  
  
"Itchipachicola? What the hell is that?"  
  
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"I didn't say anything."  
  
"....oh...."  
  
"...."  
  
"So anyways....."  
  
*Asher and Harper are in a new scene now. They're bothe at a video arcade with real working machines and semi clean air and floor and, and everything. Asher listened to the two kids' beside him conversation. He had no idea what they were talking about. He turned to look at Harper who looked just as confused as him.*  
  
One minute they're watching Harper's parents about to be killed with the child Harper watching and then they were at an arcade? Whatever was happening to them it was weird.  
  
He turned to speak to Harper. "Maybe while we're here we could try and figure out what this is."  
  
"How?"  
  
*Asher suddenly got angry. He glared at him then turned to walk away again. Harper turned and followed him. They walked out the door and the scene automatically changed back to something they were use to, Earth. People were running through the streets screaming. Running and falling and trampling each other. They climbed up and over and on top of others and they weren't looking back and bothe Harper and Asher knew that that could only mean one thing: Magog.*  
  
********  
  
'The End is Merely a Beginning in Disguise'.  
  
- Tornel.  
  
More soon. I promise. ^.^ 


	15. Death is not the greatest loss The great...

Disclaimer: Well would you look at that...I 'don't' own Andromeda. Huh and this whole time I thought I did. *snaps fingers* Drat! Although if I did Gordon would go mysteriously missing from the set. ^.^  
  
Author's Notes: I just realized I had received 50 reviews for this story. This being my first and all I have to say I'm very proud of myself. I'd like to thank all the people that reviewed and spit on all the people that didn't. Sadly the people that didn't couldn't be with us tonight. *Groan is heard from imaginary crowd* I know, I know. Thank you for the reviews. I love you all. *blows kisses to her millions of adoring fans* 'Inori' means 'Dream' in Japanese for those that don't know and were wondering. Sorry again for the lateness of the updates. The name Ptolemy (in case you've never seen it or heard it pronounced) is pronounced 'toll-emmy', the 'p' is silent. And Asher's Magog encounter happened about a year ago (in my head) so you can see why he'd still be upset about it. Ptolemy is about 15 while Asher is, like 13, but only in this flash back. (I believe I said he was fourteen in the other chapter.)  
  
WARNING: Slash. (Not like you think...well maybe like you think. I wouldn't know, not being in your head and all.) Death angst.  
  
"No more cold iron shackles on my feet.  
  
I'll fly away.  
  
I'll fly away. Oh glory. I'll fly away  
  
In the morning when I die  
  
Hallelujah by and by  
  
I'll fly away."  
  
- 'I'll fly away': Oh Brother Where Art Thou  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Death is not the greatest loss. The greatest loss is what dies within us when we live.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
"Dylan the Dark Sister has just exited from slipstream."  
  
"All hands to battle stations. Keep her intact Tyr we still have to find a cure for Mr. Harper."  
  
"Dylan, they're firing."  
  
*Tyr fires a few shots to their weapons systems and their weapons go off line, but not before the Andromeda is hit. The bridge rocks and sparks fly from a few consoles.*  
  
"Tyr. Beka. Get the Maru prepped and ready."  
  
********  
  
*The image before Harper and Asher seemed to split in two. On both sides there were people running and screaming for there lives. They were both breathing hard. Their faces pale and dripping with cold sweat from the things they knew were about to happen.*  
  
"I can't watch this again." Asher said to Harper.  
  
Harper looked at him. "I don't think we have a chose."  
  
A soft whining sound came from Asher's throat. He looked like he was about to burst into tears. "I can't." His throat stiffened from the effort from trying not to cry in front of his 'father'.  
  
*Then the Magog came. They swarmed up and over. Harper gasped when seeing himself and his many cousins trying to outrun the swarm. He saw Declan fall and Siobhan stop to try and help. He saw himself being half dragged by Brendan while they both ran, leaving their cousins to their demise. And then he looked to Asher's side.*  
  
********  
  
*Asher watched the swarms come up and over the crest of the hill. He watched people trying to take refuge in the torn down building along the sides of the street. He finally saw them. Himself and his best friend, Ptolemy. He watched himself stumble and Ptolemy lift him up over his shoulder and continued to run the entire time. He watched Ptolemy stumble when one of the beasts grabbed at him digging over long claws into soft human flesh; watched Ptolemy drop him; watched him shove him to his feet and tell him to run before turning towards the Magog onslaught; watched himself turn and run like a coward. He ran and ran until the alarm came that the swarms had stopped and left. He walked back down the road to look for Ptolemy. He watched others dragging corpses from the road while crying and screaming. He walked down the street littered with souls. You could feel it and taste it and smell it...the death. It clung to everything. He watched himself find Ptolemy. He was still alive, if that's what you could call it. Ptolemy was lying in the middle of the street moaning and holding his stomache.*  
  
"Oh God, Ptolemy."  
  
"Asher."  
  
"Ptolemy." Asher put his hand on Ptolemy's stomache. "Oh God. I'm sorry." He started crying and Ptolemy held him while he did. He sobbed 'sorry's' over and over again into his friends chest until realizing. He looked up at Ptolemy. "No."  
  
"You have to Asher. There's no one else to do it."  
  
*Asher looked around the street others in the same situation were taking care of the problem. The Nietzscheans were taking people that had no one to do it for them and knocked them over the head before throwing them into a huge pile near the gate and setting fire to 'it'.*  
  
"Asher." Asher turned back to him. "Don't let them put me in the fires. Please."  
  
*Asher looked down at the street beneath him. He stood up and walk to the run down tavern shop just twenty feet away. He walked in and pulled chunk of glass from the broken window shards on the floor inside. He walked back to where Ptolemy laid. He sighed heavily. Ptolemy looked past him.*  
  
"Asher you have to hurry."  
  
*Asher looked behind him. The Ubers were at the other end of the street. He looked back at Ptolemy.*  
  
"Asher, I know it won't exactly help you do it, but I have to tell you-"  
  
"-I know." Ptolemy looked him right in the eye.  
  
"Asher-"  
  
"I know!"  
  
*Asher had tears running down his face already. He looked back at the Ubers and then to the glass in his hand. It cut into his palm. He placed in his hand so the sharp part was out. And then pressed it to Ptolemy's neck were he knew his Jugular was. Ptolemy reached a hand around the back of Asher's neck and pulled him down. Just as their lips met Asher shoved the glass into his neck as hard and fast as he could. Ptolemy jerked and shuddered and died. Asher sat there with blood pooling around them both.*  
  
*The real Asher was crying too. Harper looked at the scene and then to Asher just as Asher collapsed sobbing. Harper went to him and held him as he cried. Even when the scene changed yet again. They were in some bar now with drunks laughing around them. Mingling and laughing. Asher still cried and Harper still held him.*  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Please tell me if that was okay. I don't know if it worked at all. Was it to corny? Please read and review. 


	16. End Game

Disclaimer: Tribune and Majel Roddenberry and other nameless organizations that are responsible for the best show ever to come from Canada own Andromeda, not me. Hey, that could be a song. Oh blame Canada!!!........oh wait...never mind.  
  
Author's Notes: Chapter 15 was my longest chapter yet. It was twice as long as any others. Yay, me. And also I think I lost my ability to write Harper. *sobs* I hope it comes back. Sorry for the lateness once again. I had like a billion ideas for a billion stories and then I was talking to Shaz and mentioned it and guess what happened? That's right, they all went away. *beats self on head with huge English book* COME BACK DAMN YOUSE!!! At least I got the cheese one out first. Mmmm beer nuts.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is like the fic that wouldn't die. I swear. *.* That's it. I'm done. This is the last chapter. There will be notes added at the end of the chapter in an attempt to tie up any loose ends for you guys. If you still have questions I may add another chapter of just answers for them so leave them in a review. Trust me, those of you that think you know what's actually going on, you ain't seen nothing yet. The end is here. Be prepared.  
  
********  
  
"Broken bottles, broken plates, broken switches, broken gates  
  
Broken dishes, broken parts, streets are filled with broken hearts  
  
Broken words never meant to be spoken  
  
Everything is broken" -Bob Dylan  
  
"For rarely are sons similar to their fathers: most are worse, and a few are better than their fathers."  
  
-Homer  
  
"What if this world is just another planet's hell?"  
  
-Albous Huxley  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Sixteen: End Game  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
"Well this is just great." Harper looked at Asher.  
  
"Don't look at me. I don't know."  
  
*Harper and Asher are standing in the middle of a huge desert.*  
  
"Asher, what did I do to you?"  
  
Asher kept looking forward. "I hate you."  
  
Harper laughed, "Good. That's good. You know why?" Asher didn't look at him so he continued. "Because hate is just love with a baseball bat."  
  
Asher looked at him and smiled sarcastically. "Really? So you don't really hate the Magog?"  
  
"Oh, but you see that's a different kind of hate. That there's pure hate. This thing you have with me is just a chip. Believe you me I have plenty of those myself. You go ahead and hate me," He looked at him harder and continued in a quieter voice, "at least then you can feel something besides pain right?"  
  
Harper walked ahead down the sand dune.  
  
Asher stood there and closed his eyes. He swallowed deeply. He took a deep breath and walked after him.  
  
********  
  
Tyr walked slowly and quietly through the seemingly abandoned ship. He knew that DeGarres and his men were hiding somewhere. They were biding what little time they had. He stopped suddenly and sniffed. He suddenly whirled around with his Gauss gun raised only to have it slammed from his grip. He tried to fight but his arms were suddenly gripped behind him with excruciating force. He heard the weapon fire before he felt it hit. He felt something like a blazing fire that was unbearably hot just before he hit the ground.  
  
The man knelt next to the body and pressed his fingers to Tyr's throat. "He's dead."  
  
"Good,"  
  
"Sir, the others are on board as well."  
  
DeGarres suddenly looked up. "Our sensors are still online?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
DeGarres smiled at this news. "It looks like our little friend has fallen 'asleep' at the job." He smiled.  
  
*********  
  
Harper suddenly stopped walking.  
  
"What's wrong?" Asher stepped up behind him.  
  
"Tyr's dead."  
  
"And you know this how?"  
  
Harper turned around. "I don't know."  
  
~It's falling apart. He should be waking up now. ~  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
Asher looked at him funny. "I didn't say anything."  
  
~There is a possibility that he can't wake up. ~  
  
"You don't hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?!"  
  
~Harper, wake up! ~  
  
"You're not even real are you?"  
  
Asher suddenly looked very sad. "I thought you cared." His faced hardened. "I should've known better."  
  
"Asher I do care."  
  
Asher stepped back from him shaking his head. "Go back to your friends. They need you."  
  
The sand fell away and the sky lit fire and burned. He felt his insides fall apart and then fit back together. He was whole and yet still incomplete. And alone.  
  
********  
  
Asher sat straight up in his pallet on the dirty floor in the abandoned building on earth. It was the building that he had picked the glass up from when he had released Ptolemy.  
  
Ptolemy.  
  
He walked to the window that was still broken and looked up at the evening sky. He was still alone.  
  
"Just a dream."  
  
********  
  
Harper jerked straight up on the bio-bed on the Med deck. He looked at the faces surrounding him. He looked at one in particular and gasped.  
  
"Tyr!" He jumped up and gave him a hug startling everyone in the room.  
  
When he released him he stood back and looked around. "Where's Asher and Maegwin?"  
  
"Who?" Beka looked at Dylan who looked just as confused as she did. Tyr just rolled his eyes.  
  
Harper's face fell. "Harper, I think you should get some rest," Trance looked at the rest of them and stated pointedly, "alone."  
  
They filed out of the Med deck and Trance turned back to Harper who was sitting on the edge of his bed. He looked up at her. "You know don't you?"  
  
"Yes Harper."  
  
"Was any of it real?"  
  
She walked around behind him and began cleaning the instruments. "The device you found was used to transmit a Pruignert wave."  
  
"They control subconscious thought?"  
  
She looked at him. "Not exactly."  
  
He looked up. Now he was confused. He'd never even heard of a Pruignert wave and yet it somehow had worked into his subconscious? How did that make sense?  
  
"The waves are used to capture someone's subconscious leaving their conscious unable to surface. The device then transmitted your subconscious to wherever it ended up."  
  
Harper just looked at her like she was nuts. "So my brain took a little trip across the known worlds?"  
  
She smiled slightly. "Pretty much."  
  
"So how did I make the return trip?"  
  
"After a few hours of trying to figure it out Tyr got angry and used his force lance to-"  
  
"-blow it into chunky salsa?"  
  
Trance smiles at him. "Yes."  
  
Harper grinned. "That's my Tyr."  
  
Trance made no comment on that remark.  
  
Harper suddenly stopped smiling. "What about them?"  
  
Trance set down the flexi pad she's been looking at and bit her lip.  
  
"Was he even real?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Harper raised his eyebrows. "Wow."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wasn't actually expecting you to answer."  
  
Trance turned to face him. She looked at him for a moment and then walked over and sat beside him. She swallowed and sighed. "Harper, he's alone. He's been alone for years. Maegwin isn't real. She never was. He made her up as his sister so he wouldn't have to be alone. You had a cousin named Eli who was taken by the Nietzscheans in a slave run." Harper opened his mouth to ask her how she knew that but then abruptly closed it and let her continue. "He was taken to another camp after he was found to no be useful for any slavers. I don't know why he wasn't killed jus that he was relocated to another camp. He was married to a prostitute named Lilly. He was raised on stories of you and your family and he grew to spite you for not being there."  
  
"Just me?"  
  
"I'm not Asher so I wouldn't know the reasons why, but he saw you as the cause to his suffering."  
  
"And why exactly did he keep calling me father?"  
  
Trance hesitated. "Because he knew it was a dream." She said quietly.  
  
Harper looked surprised. "Wait, wait, wait. You're saying that Asher thinks of me as his father? Why would he?"  
  
"I wouldn't know."  
  
Harper looked hard at her trying to tell if she was keeping anything he might need to know back from him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay so what now? I just leave him there?"  
  
She just looked at him. "I don't know."  
  
********  
  
He looked up at the night sky. He could see the fires still burning by the gates from the recent purge. He wrapped his thin blanket tighter around himself and slipped out the door and into the night. Some day he'd be free of this hellhole.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
End Notes: Harper could see ever part of the dream, he knew about it being DeGarres and about the hired scientist and about Maegwin being like Trance because it was part of his dream. Asher's dreams mixed with his to create the false reality. Like any dream, he was, for the most part, totally oblivious to the fact that he just happened to know what was going on on the Andromeda even though he was in a kind of 'coma'. When it came together that that wasn't really possible his mind started to free itself from the dream n turn freeing Asher.  
  
If you have any other questions for me just post them. I'll either add another chapter for the answers or simply e-mail you with them.  
  
I enjoyed having you; I hope you enjoyed being had. 


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